Day 6: Captiva and Sanibel Islands

You might be completely content to enjoy your retreat in peace and quiet and do absolutely nothing. On the other hand, you might also be curious what other visitors to the twin islands are up to: there are beaches for strolling, shells to be discovered, sunsets to be watched, wildlife sanctuaries to be explored….plenty to do, if that's what you like.

A Shell Seeker's Paradise. Experts consider Sanibel and the nearby islands one of the three best shelling areas in the word (the others are Jeffreys Bay in South Africa and Sulu Islands in the Southwest Pacific). The popularity of shelling has given rise to a posture known as the "Sanibel Stoop": you can't walk on a Sanibel beach without seeing someone in this classic bent-from-the-waist stance, bending over to pick up one of Neptune's treasures.

Knowledgeable conchologists will tell you the best time to hunt is at low tide; the best place on Sanibel is Bowman's Beach; the best on Captiva is Captive Beach, and that you are limited to two live (inhabited) shells per day. Wear a pair of sneakers to avoid cuts, as you walk through the shell beds, and carry a plastic bag for that perfect gift from the sea. If you are really serious about this new pastime you could join locally famous shell expert, Captain Mike Fuery (works out of the 'Tween Waters Marina), for a trip to Johnson Shoals off the coast of Cayo Costa, where one can find up to 60 different kinds of shells.

J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge. This 5,000- acre sanctuary is a nature lover's Mecca. You can drive, bicycle, or canoe through the maze of estuarine wetlands to see roseate spoonbills, alligators, herons, armadillos, sea-grape trees, gumbo-limbos and buttonwood. Trails off the main road take you to quiet brackish pools populated with alligators snapping at egrets. A boardwalk leads through the mangroves to tidal flats where you'll see more birds, fish, and raccoons, even otters.

And a word about food: On Sanibel and Captiva you have over three dozen restaurants to choose from. Ready for something good and tasty? Try the Thistle Lodge Restaurant at Case Ybel Resort; they specialize in fresh seafood, steak and pasta. Or stay at home at your Inn's wonderfully rustic Crow's Nest. Enjoy oysters Rockefeller, shrimp de jonghe, fettuccine Alfredo, veal marsala, pepper steak or Chateaubriand - or some of the dishes named for this very special island.